Decorative aggregate, paving and stoneware supplier Meadow View partnered with Perennial to help the residents of The Six Houses in Barton near Cambridge prepare for their National Garden Scheme open earlier this year, with the donation of two classical Stancombe Urns.
The Six Houses are home to eight retired horticulturists and have extensive gardens that open to the public through the National Garden Scheme twice a year – the next open day takes place on Sunday 4 June. Owned and run by the horticulture trade charity Perennial, The Six Houses provide accommodation for retired gardeners with each cottage having its own plot, alongside four acres of communal gardens where the Stancombe Urns now stand.
Built in 1939 by local banker Elliot Howes for his four sisters, the houses and their gardens were donated to Perennial in the 1970s when the houses were turned into much-needed retirement homes. Perennial helps all horticulturists and their families, not just those who are retired, providing them with what is often described as a lifeline when times get tough.
Nick Boyes, Perennial committee member and the newest resident of The Six Houses commented on the important lifeline that the houses provide: “As more and more estates, parks and public gardens employ private contractors to carry out work, those who relied on housing from their employers are having to find accommodation when their job ends. The Six Houses have given those people the chance to have a secure retirement and carry on with their most enjoyable past-time”.
The gardens have been open to the public through the National Garden Scheme for over 30 years, making them one of the longest running NGS garden in the region, yet each year brings new successes and challenges. This year proved no exception - after the old terracotta pots in the communal garden broke down over the winter, the residents needed something more long-lasting to replace them in time for the first opening of 2017.
Meadow View Stone was able to offer a wide selection of planters and the residents chose the classically styled Stancombe Urns. With their floral motifs and traditional colouring the urns complement their surroundings, working in harmony with the local brickwork of the cottages and the diverse range of planting in the gardens.
The Six Houses are due to open their gardens on Sunday 4th June alongside other gardens in the village of Barton with home-made teas available in the village hall.
For full details of National Garden Scheme garden openings, visit: www.ngs.org.uk
For further information about Perennial, visit: www.perennial.org.uk
